7 Local SEO Fixes You Can Do in a Lunch Break
Let’s face it—when you’re running a small business, your to-do list is longer than the queue at Greggs on a Friday. Between handling customers, managing staff, and doing the actual work, SEO often drops down the list.
But what if I told you that improving your local SEO doesn’t need to take all day?
In fact, there are 7 small (but mighty) fixes you can make in the time it takes to polish off a sandwich and scroll through Instagram. Whether you’re a plumber in Peterborough, a florist in Fife, or a baker in Bognor Regis, these quick wins can help you show up better in local searches—and get more calls, clicks, and customers.
Let’s dive in.
1. Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile
🕒 Time: 10-15 minutes
🍽️ Good for: While your jacket potato cools down
If you haven’t claimed your Google Business Profile yet, now’s the time.
This is the box that pops up when someone searches “[Your Business Name]” or “[Service] near me”. It’s free, powerful, and shockingly underused by small business owners.
Quick Fix:
Go to google.com/business
Claim your business or set it up
Add your:
Business name
Address
Phone number
Website
Opening hours
Service area
Add a few photos while you’re at it (a logo, shop front, team photo, or a product shot). Google loves profiles with images—it builds trust and signals activity.
👉 Example:
Jasmine, who runs a mobile dog grooming van in Kent, claimed her profile and added photos of freshly pampered pooches. Within a week, she noticed a bump in calls—people said they found her “on that little map thing”.
2. Fix Your NAP Citations
🕒 Time: 10 minutes
🍽️ Good for: While you’re waiting for your cuppa to brew
NAP = Name, Address, Phone number. And consistency is key.
Mismatched listings across online directories can confuse search engines (and customers). It’s like giving Google mixed signals—it won’t know which listing is correct, so it ranks none of them confidently.
Quick Fix:
Search your business name in Google.
Look at sites like Yelp, Yell, Thomson Local, Facebook, Scoot, and 192.com.
Check that your name, address and phone number are all identical.
If not, update them.
👉 Pro Tip:
Use the exact same formatting. If your shop is on “High Street”, don’t use “High St” on one site and “High Street” on another.
3. Add Location Keywords to Your Website
🕒 Time: 15 minutes
🍽️ Good for: The last half of lunch when you’ve got a few bites left
You don’t need a developer to make this change—just a log-in to your website.
Quick Fix:
Update your homepage and services pages to include location-based keywords.
E.g., “Hairdresser in Southend” or “Emergency electrician in Crawley”
Add the town, city, or region you serve naturally into the text.
Don't stuff them—keep it conversational.
👉 Example:
Mark, a driving instructor in Essex, added “driving lessons in Chelmsford, Brentwood, and Billericay” to his homepage copy. Within 3 weeks, he saw a noticeable improvement in visibility for those towns.
4. Ask for a Google Review (Right Now)
🕒 Time: 5 minutes
🍽️ Good for: Right before your tea break ends
Reviews don’t just help with credibility—they help with rankings too. Google uses them as a trust signal. The more good reviews you have, the better your chance of appearing in the Map Pack (those 3 results at the top of a local search).
Quick Fix:
Send a message to your last happy customer asking them to leave a review.
Include a link to your review form. Here’s how to get it:
Go to your Google Business Profile
Click “Ask for Reviews”
Copy and paste the link
👉 Script to steal:
Hi [Name], thank you again for choosing us! If you’ve got a minute, I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a quick review. It helps more than you know. Here’s the link: [Review Link]
5. Create a Quick FAQ Page
🕒 Time: 20 minutes
🍽️ Good for: A slower lunch when you fancy doing something creative
FAQ pages are SEO goldmines. They help your site rank for questions your customers are already Googling—and they’re great for voice search too.
Quick Fix:
Make a list of 5–10 questions customers ask all the time.
Add a short, helpful answer under each one.
Pop it on your website (or email your web person if you have one).
👉 Examples of Local FAQ Gold:
“How much does a boiler service cost in Manchester?”
“Do you offer weekend hair appointments?”
“Is your café dog-friendly?”
6. Add Your Business to 3 Local Directories
🕒 Time: 15 minutes
🍽️ Good for: Sandwich in one hand, typing with the other
Local directories may feel a bit old school—but they still work, especially when they have domain authority and relevance.
Quick Fix:
Register (or update) your details on:
Be consistent with your NAP info again. And if they allow a short description, add your keywords and a call to action like: “Call now for a free quote.”
7. Add Schema Markup (Don't Panic – It's Easier Than It Sounds)
🕒 Time: 20–30 minutes
🍽️ Good for: When you’ve got an extended lunch and a bit of tech confidence
Schema is a bit of code that tells Google what your business is. It helps your website appear with rich snippets (stars, hours, maps) and improves click-through rates.
Quick Fix:
Go to https://technicalseo.com/tools/schema-markup-generator/
Select “Local Business”
Fill in your business info (name, address, website, opening hours etc.)
Copy the code and paste it into the <head> of your homepage
Or ask your web developer to do it—takes them 2 minutes
👉 Pro Tip:
Run your site through Google’s Rich Results Test to check it’s working.
Why These Fixes Work
Search engines love clarity and consistency. Local SEO isn’t about tricks or hacks—it’s about giving Google (and your customers) clear, consistent, and accurate information about who you are, what you do, and where you do it.
And you’ve just done that in the time it takes to eat a sandwich and down a coffee.
FAQ: Local SEO for Small Business Owners
Q: How long does it take to see results from local SEO?
A: Some changes (like claiming your Google profile or updating your NAP) can show results in days. Others (like building authority through reviews or content) take a few weeks to months.
Q: Do I need to be on every directory?
A: No. Focus on quality over quantity. Aim for the big names (Google, Yell, FreeIndex) and any niche directories in your industry.
Q: I don’t have a physical shop—does local SEO still work?
A: Yes! You can set your “service area” in your Google Business Profile. It works well for mobile services like electricians, cleaners, consultants, and more.
Q: Is it worth hiring someone to do all this?
A: If you’ve got the time and confidence, you can get started yourself. But if you want quicker results or a hands-off approach, working with a local SEO specialist can take it to the next level.
Q: How do I get more reviews without nagging people?
A: Make it part of your routine. After each job or sale, send a follow-up text or email with a link. Keep it personal and don’t be shy—most people are happy to help if they’ve had a good experience.
SEO Doesn't Have to Be Scary
You don’t need a tech degree or a massive budget to make real improvements to your local SEO. Just 30 minutes here and there—like during a lunch break—can help you climb those rankings and bring in more local customers.
Think of SEO as your business’s digital shopfront. If people can’t find you online, they’ll find your competitors instead. But with a few tweaks and a bit of consistency, you’ll be the one showing up on the map.
Want More Local Customers? Let’s Chat.
If you’d rather spend your lunch break actually eating your lunch (and not fiddling with schema markup), we can take care of the SEO side for you.
With 20 years of experience helping small businesses like yours rank higher, get found, and grow—our local SEO services are designed for busy people who just want it done right.
👉 [Contact us here] to book a free chat and see how we can help.
